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"Do not imagine that merely the possession of gold and silver is possessiveness; rather, it is the acquisition of anything whatsoever that your will clings to."
--St. Isaac the Syrian, Homilies 4, in Ascetical Homilies, p30

"In the same way those who are burning with a holy and venerable longing for the heavenly Spirit are wounded in their soul with love for the love of God. They burn with a divine and heavenly fire which the Lord came on this earth to enkindle, and how he wishes that it be quickly accomplished (Lk 12:49). They are inflamed with a heavenly longing for Christ so that everything, as was said, that is of this world, considered outstanding and precious is repulsive and despised on account of the fire of their love for Christ who binds them, burns them, and inflames them with a passion for God...From such a love nothing of the earth or underworld will seperate them, as the apostle Paul testified, namely: "Who will seperate us from the love of Christ?" (Rom 8:35).
--St. Macarius the Great, Homilies 9:9, in Spiritual Homilies

"As Christ, having taken on "the form of a servant" (Phil 2:7), through humility conquered the devil, so at the beginning through pride and vainglory the serpent overthrew Adam. And now the same serpent, hiding in human hearts, through vainglory destroys and dissolves the race of Christians."
--Macarius the Great, Homilies 27:5, in Spiritual Homilies

"Humility, even without works, gains forgiveness for many offenses; but without her, works are of no profit to us."
--St. Isaac the Syrian, Homilies 69, in The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian, p338

"Men of high spirit endure offense nobly and willingly. But only the holy and saintly can pass unscathed through praise."
--St. John Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent 22:12

"So long as you are in this life, scorn your self by the constant remembrance of your sins. Confess them before the merciful God in contrition and you will gain intimacy with him."
--St. Isaac the Syrian, in "The Four Books," 1:4

"If your heart is brazenly confident of your works and knowledge, then know that this foreshadows impending tribulations."
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